I suggested various epithets, from the funny to the lame (Bailout, Liquidity, Too Big to Sail, Floating Charge) but the winner was a banking friend, with the inspired Quantative Ease.

Dionne Owen and Catherine Milner – friends from my Year 6 Primary School class (pictured) are arranging a class reunion on the 5th February 2010. It will be about 16 years since this photograph. I am not in the photo – I left year 6 early when my family moved from Essex to Dorset. I wonder who I will recognise, and who will recognise me?

Incidentally, I don’t currently link to my blogging friends enough. This I shall remedy.

• The Lake Hotel, Bonchurch – although this wasn’t our first choice of accommodation, the Lake has some great lounges, a lovely garden and the perfect location
• The New Inn, Main Road, Shalfleet – a charming country pub in a lovely spot, with local food, good beer and raised decked area to the rear
• Cachalot Charters – fishing trips from Bembridge marina, £26 for four hours mackerelling and sea angling
• The Tea Shop in Freshwater Bay – proper clotted cream and a nice garden, although the tea was a little disappointing
• The Military Road – running along the south-west coast of the island, this road is a blast on bikes – with stunning views towards the Needles if you’re heading West

I was less keen on The Spyglass, a pub on the front at Ventnor, which had Ringwood beer and huge portions of hearty pub food, but was a bit crowded and dark; the Pond Café in Bonchurch, which had top-class food (and prices) but disinterested service, despite having only five tables; and Red Funnel ferries, which, despite good onboard accommodation and a good outward crossing, made a total hash of loading the ferry out of Cowes on the return leg. I would also advise strongly against riding pillion on the back of a Suzuki GSXR, especially after a wine-tasting. Some photos will appear on Flickr soon.

• The many answers to a job interview question that I flunked (while getting many other answers correct, I hasten to add).
• My friend Winston loses his rag with the spiteful anonymous commentators who spit bile on his blog.
• David Cameron’s television viewing habits are the subject of much speculation. I loved The West Wing and The Wire – should I avoid Lark Rise to Candleford?

As you will have noted, there is no theme.

A great joint hen and stag weekend this, with Helen joining Moira’s gang of girls for some hire wire fun, and myself joining Russ and the lads to go shooting near Harlow. Then back to thhe new Chez Bowdrey for gin and tonic and snacks before a meal at Davy’s. I have a few photos on Flickr.

A quick but well-deserved round of congratulations to James, who recently managed to get to the top of Everest, raising a bit of cash for a Liberian school in the process. You can find his trip details and donation site here. The most amazing thing on the site is the photo showing Everest’s shadow. Fantastic. Hopefully James will back in London sometime for Bournemouthian drinks, if he’s not climbing something else, or trying to conquer the Polish gym market.

Katie, a friend and ex-colleague, has recently launched a business with her friend Viola. Untitled Books is an independent online bookshop. Its USP is that it focuses only on spectacular books, which it reviews fully and sorts thematically, on a tarot-style wheel (above). It’s much more inspiring and personal than the big web book outlets and prices are comparable. I’ve just put in my first order, which should keep me going for a month or so at least.